Stand and deliver! Most League clubs back return to terraces at football stadiums

STANDING UP: Terraces could return to clubs across the country [GETTY]

A massive 70% of Football League clubs voted in favour of “safe standing” and campaigners are now looking for backing from Premier League teams.

Michael Brunskill of the Football Supporters’ Federation said: “This is a big step forward and is the next step to making safe standing a ­reality.

“For years the Government have said that, although safe standing is ­popular among fans, there is no support among clubs in the ­Football League – but this has proved them wrong and hopefully they will take notice.”

All 72 Football League clubs ­voted, with the majority answering yes – including almost every club playing in the Championship.

“This is a big step forward and is the next step to making safe standing a ­reality”

Michael Brunskill, Football Supporters’ Federation

AFC Bournemouth, Burnley, ­Derby, Blackburn, Watford, Leeds, Huddersfield, Birmingham, ­Bolton, Doncaster, Charlton and Yeovil all said they would be open to the idea.

Reading also voted in favour. Their spokesman Craig Mortimer-Zhika said that although the club recognised consultation was the beginning of the process it was fully behind the move.

League One clubs Carlisle and Bristol City also voted in favour. City are currently the only club in Britain to boast safe standing ­terraces after recently installing German-style rail seats for a trial.

But because of Football League rules the terraces can only be used for Bristol rugby matches which are also played at the club’s Ashton Gate ground.

Premier League clubs which so far have given their backing are ­Arsenal, Aston Villa, Cardiff City, Crystal Palace, Swansea, ­Sunderland and Manchester ­United. Liverpool – which lost 96 fans in the ­1989 Hillsborough ­disaster – remain ­opposed to the ­return of standing fans.

It was the findings of the official inquiry into the tragedy, the Taylor Report, that resulted in the ­elimination of standing terraces at football stadiums in England, Wales and Scotland.

A new inquest into the ­Hillsborough deaths is to start next month. Although safe standing campaigners welcome the wave of support, they recognise there are other footballing issues to take into account.

Mr Brunskill added: “This is the start.

“After this the issue will go to the Government, who you would think would listen with these levels of support.”

But he added: “We have the Hillsborough inquests. That is the main concern…we will continue the work behind the scenes.”